Uni students 'misguided' says Pyne

UNIVERSITY students are misguided about the federal government's education reforms, Education Minister Christopher Pyne says.

"University students will not be paying double the fees they are paying now," he told Fairfax Radio Network on Friday morning.

"They are very misguided and spreading a great deal of misinformation."

It comes after police and protesting students clashed at a Sydney University event attended by Mr Pyne on Thursday night.

On Wednesday students from around the country staged protests against the federal budget changes.

Mr Pyne said the students are wrong thinking the reforms will make universities only accessible to the rich.

"Not when you can borrow every single dollar up front from the Australian taxpayer and not pay it back until you're earning over $50,000 a year and at the lowest interest rate that you'll ever get for a loan in your entire life time."

Mr Pyne said middle-class families won't be priced out of tertiary education because of higher fees and higher rates of interest.

"That is just wild speculation. In my reforms to higher education we are massively expanding the number of providers who can access the Commonwealth government subsidies for students, that means there will be an adrenalin shock into the market. And if universities charge exorbitant fees, they won't get any students.

He also said the commonwealth scholarships program is being expanded and there will be more opportunities for first-generation university goers.